The Gradebook

Chapter 4: Encounters, Old and New

CHAPTER 4: ENCOUNTERS, OLD AND NEW

I started nervously tapping my foot against the cold concrete stairs in front of my house. The low-wedge sandals that I put on this morning, since it was decidedly hot and humid outside, frantically made loud clunky noises as I impatiently kept tapping.

“Oh, Alec. It’s been three years and yet you still arrive as slow as a snail,” I muttered underneath my breath.

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a beaten-up truck taking a curb onto my house’s asphalt driveway. I could practically see the driveway sizzling like a frying pan set at three hundred and fifty degrees on a stove.

As soon as I saw that familiar auburn hair, once again in a shaggy mess, I spoke up with an irritatingly loud voice. “Speak of the devil.”

Alec rolled down the window by his seat and poked his head out. “Thinking of me, cutie pie?” He said through loud sniggers.

“That’s the last visual I want in my head right now, Lover Boy. Now let’s hurry up, so we can at least get to sixth period,” I said amusedly with a small smile, and a rolling of my eyes. As I hopped in to the passenger side of the ever-so-familiar Chevy, I nudged him in his ribs a couple times until he let out a strangled laugh and started the engine.

“So, Mia, how’s your Gradebook coming along? Pretty alright?” Alec asked.

“Yeah, I managed to get a page done,” I answered lazily.

He trained his eyes on the road ahead and sighed. “Progress.”

“Yep.”

“What’s wrong? You seem so down,” Alec said concernedly, giving me a side-long glance.

“What do you mean? I’m perfectly fine... Nothing’s wrong,” I mumbled, while stuffing my red hair in my mouth to keep from frowning.

“Trust me, Mia, after three years of being your friend, I can tell when you’re either having mood swings or are really, truly sad.”

I turned to face him. “Nothing, alright?” He shot me a dubious look. I gave him an exasperated sigh, the air in the car suddenly muggy, forcing itself down my throat. “Fine, so maybe I’m a bit ticked off about the Lydia and Cody thing going on right now,” I admitted with a groan.

His face lit up immediately. “I knew you had a crush-! Erm, never mind... How come, though? I heard they’ve been on and off for a long time. Not that they’ve ever dated,” he hesitated.

“Relax, I’m not gonna bite your head off.”

“You sure? Redheads are renowned for their recklessness.”

“First off, not true. Second, I’m not a natural redhead. So point invalid, Alec.”

“Fine, whatever. Just don’t let that Cody jerk get to you, alright? He’s definitely nowhere in your league,” he said reassuringly.